The trouble with antidepressants is that recent research is finding that they are relatively ineffective, create dependency (DO NOT go off of an antidepressant without talking to your doctor about a safe way to do it), can cause suicidal thoughts, and have serious potential drug interactions.  The April 2010 issue of Best Pills, Worst Pills, edited by Sidney Wolfe, M.D., cites a study published in Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology involving over 3600 individuals looking at the connection between gastrointestinal bleeding and the use of antidepressants.  It found that SSRI's and SNRI's increased the risk of bleeding 1.2 to 1.9-fold, depending on whether the use of the drugs was past, recent or current. When used along with NSAIDSs or blood thinners the risk was 8-fold and when used with a combination of NSAIDs and aspirin, the risk was 28-fold.  Since antidepressants are now being prescribed for pain, concomitant use of these drugs may be quite common. As with most prescriptions drugs in our current "fix me" society, antidepressants are over-used. 

Before going on an antidepressant, you might consider giving your brain the building blocks and nutrients it needs, and see if an improvement in mood follows.   I would submit that many of these individuals, especially the teens, are not anxious,depressed, or have SAD, but rather are malnourished.  It is difficult to imagine that people in the richest country in the world and some of the wealthiest suburbs in the country could be malnourished to the point of causing physical and mental issues, but the typical American diet does not provide many of the nutrients important to a healthy brain.  A healthy brain and brain tissue are crucial to neurotransmitter activity, which in turn is critical to mood.  It is true that the brain runs on glucose as its primary fuel, but many other nutrients like healthy fats, antioxidants, and certain vitamins are crucial to the structure and hence functioning of the brain. 

Omega-3 fatty acids found in fish oil, flax, chia seeds, and to a lesser extent, hemp can be used as a source of DHA.  The brain is very rich in DHA, but DHA is not produced by the body and so must be taken in through the diet.  It is important to various functions of the brain including learning, memory and one's reaction to stress.  It has been found that pregnant women whose diets were high in DHA were less likely to suffer from postpartum depression.  Fish oils and other sources of DHA also provide an anti-inflammatory effect which can also be a culprit in mood or behavioral changes.    Since fish oils can also thin the blood and based on the information shown above relative to the risk of gastrointestinal bleeding, it would follow that high doses of fish oil used along with antidepressants may be a problem.

Another important fat for the brain is phosphatidylserine (PS), a phospholipid that can improve mood, anxiety and coping with stress.  It is present in every cell in the body, but is especially abundant in the brain.  It is a crucial building block for the cell membrane, making it important to nerve transmission. It enhances NGF (nerve growth factor), which helps manage nerve tissue and repair.  More than 40 human studies spanning 3 decades indicate that PS supports just about all brain functions that can be measured and it has garnered two Qualified Health Claims from the FDA.  It can be found from a soy source, so is plant-based.  It has also been studied in helping children with ADD.